When I was little, I dreaded meatloaf night. I probably would have liked it if I had given it a chance, but seriously, I think the name turned me off. I love meatloaf now. It’s like a gigantic hamburger. Who wouldn’t want that? I am officially renaming meatloaf “Gigantic Hamburger Loaf”!
Instead of using breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs, I use an egg for the binder, along with finely chopped mushrooms (you won’t taste them, but mushrooms make the meatloaf very moist!) and grated Parmesan cheese. Mushrooms and aged cheeses have something called “umami,” a pleasant savory taste produced by glutamate and ribonucleotides, which are chemicals that occur naturally in many foods. Umami is subtle, but it blends well with other tastes to intensify and enhance flavors, and it plays an important role in making food taste delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped or shredded and squeezed dry
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill, or ¼ teaspoon dried dill weed
- 1½ pounds ground lamb or beef
- ¾ cup finely chopped mushrooms
- ½ cup diced red onions
- ¼ cup diced black olives
- 8 ounces feta cheese, cut into ¼-inch dice, plus extra for garnish
- ½ cup powdered Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup tomato sauce
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon Greek seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 1 clove garlic, smashed to a paste
- Diced red onions
- Diced tomatoes
- To make the tzatziki sauce, place all the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl. Stir well. Set the sauce in the refrigerator to chill for 1 to 2 hours. (Note: It can be made up to 3 days ahead.)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Have on hand an 8 by 4-inch loaf pan.
- Place the ingredients for the gyro loaf in a large bowl and, using your hands, mix together until well combined.
- Press the meat mixture into the loaf pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until the internal temperature of the loaf reaches 160°F. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with the tzatziki sauce, garnished with red onions, tomatoes, and extra feta cheese.
- Store extras in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the gyro loaf in a baking dish in a preheated 350°F oven for 5 minutes or until warmed through.
| Nutrition Facts |
Serving Size 1 |
Nutritional Value Per Serving | Calories 539 kcal Calories from Fat: 369 kcal |
|
% Daily Value*
|
| Total Fat 41 g 117% |
Trans Fat 0.0 g |
carbohydrates 6 g 5% |
Dietary Fiber 1 g 3% |
Protein 33 g 66% |
* Above mentioned %DVs (Percent Daily Values) are based on 2,000 calorie food intake.
DVs (Daily values) may be vary depending upon individuals daily calorie needs. Above nutritional values are estimates and should only be used as a guide for approximation. They are not allfoodchef.com recommendations. Calculations are based on average weight of 194 lbs. and ages of 19 to 50 years. |